The North Carolina Medical Board will move to adopt the emergency and temporary licensing policies it implemented in anticipation of Hurricane Florence as standing emergency rules. The emergency rules specify how out-of-state physicians, physician assistants (PAs), or anesthesiology assistants (AAs) may obtain temporary authority to practice in state during a declared state of emergency. To […]

Public health surveillance is one of the linchpins of maintaining good health in patients, families and communities. Perhaps like no other frontline physician, family physicians are uniquely qualified to provide great insight and even hard data on illnesses and disease that affect all communities. North Carolina’s Influenza-Like Illness Sentinel Provider Program (ILI) is a great […]

With Pertussis increasing across the US in recent years, a recently published UNC study is helping confirm the efficacy of TDAP immunizations to pregnant mothers. The study compared clinical outcomes of 675,167 privately insured U.S. infants by maternal Tdap immunization status. Findings have suggested that infants whose mothers received the Tdap immunization during pregnancy experienced […]

A collaborative effort between the NCAFP, the NC Division of Public Health, the NC Pediatric Society and the NC Community Health Center Association will be highlighting the importance of adolescent immunization this month. Without proper immunization, preteens and teens can suffer from vaccine-preventable disease or complications. This annual event offers an excellent way to increase […]

A new data dashboard developed by the NC DHHS shows the state is beginning to see success in its efforts to combat the opioid crisis. The oversupply of prescription opioids is being reduced and access to treatment and recovery services has increased. For instance, in the fourth quarter of 2017, there were 20 million fewer […]

In this past Monday’s News & Observer, NCAFP Past President Dr. Brian Forrest (’12) highlighted an important proposal addressing the fact that many in the state lack access to healthy food options, with diet-related diseases on the rise in NC, especially among children. This affected population is more likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes, […]

The North Carolina Division of Public Health (NCDPH) is currently working with local health departments in several NC counties to investigate a spike in pertussis cases. 134 cases of pertussis have been identified statewide since last November, with additional cases now under investigation. The majority of cases have been associated with outbreaks in Henderson, Orange, […]

One of the goals of a transformed health care system is for near real-time clinical and demographic data to be available to all health care providers involved in a patient’s care. This will enable secure access to information for more efficient and effective health care decisions. NC HealthConnex, NC’s designated health information exchange, allows participants […]

The AARP is communicating a simple lesson for older people: Don’t put-off getting your shots. And that’s especially true when it comes to getting immunized against pneumonia. NCAFP Past President Dr. Tom Koinis (‘97), of Duke Primary Care in Oxford, shared his thoughts on the importance of pneumonia vaccination for seniors. According to the article, […]

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